Sarasota, Fla. – Ringling College of Art and Design announced the second annual Theme Park Design Competition, a creative contest aimed at high‑school juniors and seniors across the United States. Participants must develop an original parade‑float concept and submit a brief story explaining the inspiration behind the design.
Scholarship and prize details
The college is offering a $20,000 scholarship to the first‑place winner, along with a behind‑the‑scenes VIP tour of Universal Studios. Second‑ and third‑place entrants will receive additional scholarship awards, though the exact amounts were not disclosed.
Judges and industry connections
Entries will be evaluated by faculty members who work for major themed‑entertainment firms such as Disney Imagineering and Universal Creative. Many of the judges are Ringling alumni currently employed by Universal Creative, providing students a direct line to potential future employers.
“We formulated this competition because we are trying to raise awareness of themed entertainment as a career choice for students,” said Jamie DeRuyter, department head for the entertainment design major at Ringling College. “So many students and families don’t realize that theme parks are designed, built, painted, and sculpted. They love going to theme parks, but they never say, ‘I could do this.’”
Previous winner
Last year’s champion was Ella McGinely, a senior from Belle Isle, Fla., whose “Frost & Fizz’s Fruity Drinks” float featured a conveyor belt of animatronic dragons that mixed and frosted drinks with their breath. McGinely will enroll at Ringling College this fall to pursue a degree in Entertainment Design.
Timeline
The competition opens on September 1 and runs through November 30. Winners will be announced in January, with the first‑place recipient receiving the scholarship and Universal tour shortly thereafter.
Students, parents and educators interested in learning more about the contest can visit Ringling College’s website for entry guidelines and submission instructions.
Original reporting: Tampa Bay Florida News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
